The Angels – Talk the Talk Review

There isn't really many moments though that both styles meet in the middle comfortably, it's more as though both sides are dukeing it out for supremacy....

the angels_cover

Released By : Liberation Music,

Release Date: Jan 17, 2014

Link: http://theangels.com.au/

 

Tracklist:

01. Talk the Talk

02. Got an Itch

03. Every Man

04. Broken Windows

05. Heart of Stone

06. Got a Feeling

07. Nations Are Falling

08. You Might Make It

09. Book of Law

10. I Come In Peace

 

This year, one of Australia’s most successful and important rock bands THE ANGELS, or sometimes known in other regions as ANGEL CITY celebrate their fortieth anniversary as a group. As with any band that has been around for that amount of time, theirs is a story with many a twist and turn…Some good, some bad…and some downright tragic. Through it all though, in one shape or another, the band has marched forward. As a matter of fact, chief riff-writers and quasi band-leaders John and Rick Brewster are actually the only founding members left of what was once an unstoppable force of nature.

TALK THE TALK is the second album released by the band under their current formation, which of course includes the charismatic Dave Gleeson (The Screaming Jets) on lead vocals. Replacing somebody as iconic and revered as the mighty Doc Neeson, currently in the middle of a horrible battle against cancer, certainly must be a daunting task, and to the band’s credit they didn’t attempt to find a sound-alike. Gleeson, in his own right could stake a claim of Aussie rock god status too, with some of the material he created with The Screaming Jets constantly finding itself into most Australian music Best-Of compilations and CountDowns. Whether he is the right fit for The Angels though will be the deciding factor on how much you like this album. There is no reason at all to fault Gleeson’s endeavour here, his efforts are of a high quality no doubt. However, for me personally anyway, the match-up isn’t as natural as it should be. I see it in a similar light to the grouping of QUEEN and PAUL RODGERS a few years ago… Two undoubtedly enormous talents, but mix them together and something was just…off.

Musically, the Brewster brothers are still creating some great pub rock riffs, and their relatively new rhythm section seem to have blended in quite nicely. Songs like YOU MIGHT MAKE IT, EVERY MAN and BROKEN WINDOWS have a delightful bar-room boogie-rock sound that makes your foot tap no matter how hard you try and stop it. Then you have GOT A FEELING, which is nice little song that has a striking Paul Kelly vibe to it. The majority of the musical vibe comes from the traditional song-writing style of the Brewster brothers, with over half of the tracks here sounding like they could have been created from lost demo’s from the seventies period. A few songs though have a bit of a different vibe, which of course borrows a little from the more commercial elements of The Screaming Jets. There isn’t really many moments though that both styles meet in the middle comfortably, it’s more as though both sides are dukeing it out for supremacy.

I really wanted to like this album more. I had a bit of a hard time with their previous effort MEAN STREETS, but I though that might have just been some teething problems with the new line-up. After two albums though it seems clearer than ever that Doc Neeson is the essential link in The Angels chain. I do have to stress though that these comments are in no way meant to be detrimental to Dave Gleeson. I still think he is one of our country’s greatest and most worthy front-men, but this material just doesn’t seem to suit his style. The current formation sees both Gleeson and The Angels making the most of what they have together and don’t worry…it’s pretty good, but it just never reaches any higher.

 

Written by Zeezee

Ratings    Zeezee    7/10

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